Tamiya quality is far better than Fujimi, even compared to Fujimi Enthusiast kits. A high parts count in the Enthusiast line doesn't tell you that the kits take forever to build due to hundreds of little mold lines, sink marks, slightly warped parts, parts that don't fit just quite right...a lot of fiddling. Just looking at the mountain of parts trees wears me out, I know what it will take to do it right. Tamiya parts generally fit properly the first time, regardless of parts count. You can tell they use much higher quality molds than Fujimi.
Compare my last model, a Tamiya Toyota Celica curbside. It went together with zero modifications, and zero hassles. 8-10 hours and I have a beautiful, nicely detailed model.
The current model I'm working on is a Fujimi RX-7 Spirit R. I thought I could whip this one together quickly like the Celica. WRONG!
The rear spoiler is poorly molded, lots of mold lines and the engraved lines in the sides of the spoiler ends are horrible, and were gone after sanding the mold lines. The airfoil part of the wing has the ejector pin marks on the upper (visible) side.
Then I notice that I have to cut out the two inlets in the bumpers on either side of the grille, because the Spirit R doesn't have the fog lamps that are molded to the body. More
The rims they included aren't correct
I have to use a set of my beloved (and impossible to get now) Aoshima BBS DTM's.
I'll end up with a beautiful model, but after all the extra hours fixing their screw-ups, not to mention the fact that it will have cost double what a Tamiya kit costs because of their screwy price structure and my need for proper rims, Fujimi gives me headaches every single time
Fujimi taunts us. Lots of cool subjects, but very indifferent quality and ridiculous prices...
Tamiya spoils us, at least when they bother to do a car we like.
